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Monthly Archives: July 2015

There’s nothing quite like simply liberating an idea and sharing the outcome with everyone…and one such idea is here!

How, on a wonderful summer’s day in balmy August, can one hope to create something magical and tantalizing that sets your taste buds alive? Easy! Think cool…tasteful…refreshingly classic…no, sillies – not the author of this piece ;O)

Recall alfresco style dining? Picnic blankets laid on a bed of cushioned green velvet-like grass crowned by plate upon plate of visual delights to feast one’s hungry eyes upon? From red, green, orange and yellow jewels of fresh and glistening peppers, statuesque cucumber, textured lettuce leaves dancing in the sunlight to crunchy coleslaw chiefs sat overseeing legions of row upon row of cooked meats of ham, pork and chicken…with tums full but craving something sweet and delicate to round-off such an abundance of summer day treats, one thing comes to mind and with it, an energy that pushes all other sweet indulgent thoughts away as it clambers to the forefront of one’s mind…

…ice cream!

Dawn: Slave! Bring me something smooth, rich and sophisticated!

Andrew: Like this?

Dawn:(exasperated) Andrew! That’s you in a George Clooney mask!

Andrew: Can’t you see any similarity?

Dawn: A comatose myopic pig could see through that disguise!

Andrew: That’s a bit short sighted of you!

(Dawn raises eyebrows)

Andrew: I’ll try again!

Dawn: You do that!

Andrew: Ah! I have it! The Cary Grant of puddings! Oozing easy charm, flavoursome and elegant!

Dawn: I will await your efforts to convince me!

Andrew: Give me about 5 hours to dress it up!

Dawn: I can wait! It had better be worth it!

Andrew: Oh it will!

Ingredients

3 lemons

200g caster sugar

450ml double cream

½ tsp salt

Dawn: Salt in my ice cream! Better be a great reason!

Andrew: Stops it from over-freezing! And it goes with lemon and tequila!

Dawn: Tequila Mockingbird!

(Andrew returns raised eyebrow gesture of earlier)

Dawn: I will leave you to it!

Andrew: You do that! Now this has to be the simplest ice cream recipe ever.

Method

Grate the peel of one of the lemons using the fine side of the grater.

Squeeze the juice from all three lemons, taking care to pick out the pips.

Combine the lemon juice with the sugar. Add the cream and salt slowly. Mix carefully. You will find that the mixture thickens very quickly.

Pour into a shallow container and lace in the freezer.

Check regularly. When the ice cream is solid around the outside but still mushy in the centre stir with a fork.

Freeze again until the ice cream is firm.

Serve with raspberries, other summer fruits or simply with a sprig of mint.

The audience has a hushed silence hanging about it…the kind of silence that you only hear with baited anticipation holding everyones’ breaths deep within them as individual excitements mount to create a palpable collective and universal thrill as what lies in store.

Then…the curtains begin to slowly open and commence their seemingly torturous slow journey to reach their destinations at either side of the impressively large stage. Slowly the heavy fabric sleeves holding their secret are opening with a come-hither look of seductive prowess about them to reveal what the whole auditorium have been waiting for…no other than the Cooking Duo!

Yes, foodies! Live, on stage! With each beaming the widest of smiles and waving cheery greetings of “Hello, fellow Foodies!” to everyone gathered here to see and watch this dynamic Cooking Duo’s show.

Dawn: Well Andrew, what do you have for me today?

Andrew: I’ve been busy in the Love Food garden, Dawn. Have you seen the size of my marrow?

Dawn:(raises eyebrows) My! That’s an impressive size!

Andrew: The more it’s loved, the more it grows!

Dawn: I don’t wish to know that! But what to do with the beast; it looks a real monster!

Andrew: The marrow is from the same family as courgettes, but unlike its smaller cousin, it is an advantage to be this size.

Dawn: It’s about 15 inches long. Should fit nicely into that baking tray.

Andrew: Marrow is delicious, nutritious, easy to grow and cook. However, the taste is often quite bland.